Shield for endoscopic instruments

ABSTRACT

A shield for endoscopic instruments id described. Endoscopic instruments have an elongated, hollow member that has a front end adapted for insertion into the bladder through the urethra, and a back end having an opening that is adapted for receiving a viewing instrument. The shield is typically mounted at the back end of the endoscopic instrument such that it is in a noninterfering position when the viewing instrument is in place in the endoscopic instrument. When the viewing instrument is removed from the endoscopic instrument, the shield pivots to a protectively disposed position behind the opening at the back of the endoscopic instrument to deflect liquid that is ejected out through said opening.

United States Patent Leucci 1 July 4,1912

{54] SHIELD FOR ENDOSCOPIC [21] Appl. No.: 49,756

52 us. Cl ..128/4, 128/7, 350/60, 350/65 [51] lnt.Cl. ..A6lb 1/00 [58]FieldofSearch ..l28/3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, 128/11; 350/57, 60, 65

[56] Relerenees Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 849.409 4/1907 Martin..350/57 2,522,897 9/1950 Rotter ..350/65 X 3,399,011 8/1968 Heiniger..3S0/60 Primary Examiner-Lucie H. Laudenslager Au0rney0strolenk, Faber,Gerb 8L Sot'fen ABSTRACT A shield for endoscopic instruments iddescribed. Endoscopic instruments have an elongated, hollow member thathas a front end adapted for insertion into the bladder through theurethra, and a back end having an opening that is adapted for receivinga viewing instrument. The shield is typically mounted at the back end ofthe endoscopic instrument such that it is in a non-interfering positionwhen the viewing instrument is in place in the endoscopic instrument.When the viewing instrument is removed from the endoscopic instrument,the shield pivots to a protectively disposed position behind the openingat the back 01' the endoscopic instrument to deflect liquid that isejected out through said opening.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJ L 4 2 The invention relates to ashield for endoscopic instruments.

Endoscopic instruments such as cystoscopes, panendoscopes, andresectoscopes are adapted for insertion into the bladder through theurethra. An endoscopic instrument has a cavity running its entirelength, the cavity being adapted for receiving a viewing instrument ortelescope in the back end of said endoscopic instrument. The cavity isalso used for filling the bladder with water, and for emptying thebladder of liquid contained therein. When using endoscopic instruments,it is necessary to fill the bladder with liquid to expand it to giveroom to work, in order to be able to see better, in order to injectmedication into the bladder, and the like. The cavity running the entirelength of the endoscopic instrument is used both to fill the bladderwith liquid and to empty the bladder. This cavity is also adapted at theback end of the endoscopic instrument for receiving the above-mentionedtelescope or viewing instrument. Normally, when the telescope isremoved, the liquid is forcefully ejected out through the cavity, andcan easily splash the physician operating the instrument. This isclearly undesirable.

This invention provides a relatively inexpensive shield that can be usedto deflect this stream of water or other liquid so that when the liquidjets out through the cavity inside the endoscope, it is deflected by theshield downwardly and can be received in a container. A desirablefeature of this shield is that it is in a non-interfering position whilethe endoscopic instrument is being used to view the inside of thebladder or for other purposes.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a cystoscope showing the pivotally mountedshield in a non-interfering position while a viewing instrument is inplace in the cystoscope.

P10. 2 is a side view of a cystoscope showing the pivotally mountedshield in a deflecting position after the viewing instrument has beenremoved.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a resectoscope showing the shield in anon-interfering position while the viewing instrument is in place in theresectoscope.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a resectoscope showing the shield in aprotecting position after the viewing instrument has been removed from aresectoscope.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, wherein like numerals refer tolike members, two versions of the invention are shown. In FIGS. 1 and 2,the novel shield of the invention is shown mounted on a cystoscope. lnFIGS. 3 and 4, the shield of the invention is shown mounted on aresectoscope. Broadly speaking, endoscopic instruments contain anelongated member 11, the elongated member having a front end 12 that isadapted for insertion into the bladder through the urethra. Theendoscopic instrument also has a back end 13 and a cavity (not shown)running substantially the entire length of the elongated member 11 froman opening 14 at said front end 12 to an opening 15 at said back end 13.The opening 15 at the back end 13 is adapted to receive a viewinginstrument 16. Another type of instrument for performing an endoscopy isa panendoscope. For a transurethral resection, a resectoscope is used.

The cavity that is contained in the elongated member I l, in addition tobeing adapted for receiving a viewing instrument 16, is also used as apassageway for injecting liquid into the bladder and for removing liquidfrom the bladder. The liquid that is injected into the bladder createsan intravesicle pressure, so that when the liquid comes out through thecavity it comes out in a rather forceful jet. The purposes of the shieldof this invention is to deflect this jet of liquid downwardly to make itmore readily controllable and sanitary. In the Figures, the shield 17 isshown in FIGS. 1 and 3 in a non-interfering position while the telescope16 is in place in the cavity contained in elongated member 11. Shield 17is pivotally mounted so that when the viewing instruments are removedfrom said cavity, the shield automatically pivots down in front of the oning 15 at the back end 13 of the endoscopic instrument.

e shield thereby deflects downwardly any liquid that is coming out ofthe cavity. A container can be provided under the end 13 of theendoscopic instrument in order to receive the liquid.

The pivotally mounted shield employed in this invention can be adaptedfor use on cystoscopes, panendoscopes, and resectoscopes. It can bemounted onto the instrument by means of an elastic band 18 that isattached to shield 17 such that when the viewing instrument 16 or otherlike instrument is removed from the cavity in the endoscopic instrument,the shield 17 is automatically pulled down in place in a protectivelydisposed position behind the opening 15 at the back end 13 of theendoscopic instrument.

The shield can be made of plastic, or of any other convenient,inexpensive material.

It will be apparent that the disclosure set forth above by way ofillustration of the invention is not limiting in nature, and thatvarious other forms of the shield can be employed without departing fromthe spirit of this invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege orproperty is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An endoscopic instrument comprising an elongated member, saidelongated member having:

a. a front end adapted for insertion into the bladder through theurethra,

b. a back end having at least one projecting portion extendingtransverse to the length of the instrument,

c. a cavity running substantially the entire length of said elongatedmember from an opening at said front end to an opening at said back end,the opening at said back end being adapted to receive a viewinginstrument, and a shield having an end surface, said shield beingpivotally mounted at said back end of said elongated member such thatsaid shield is in a non-interfering position when said viewinginstrument is in said cavity, and wherein said shield pivots to aposition such that said deflecting surface is protectively disposedbehind said opening at said back end when said viewing instrument isremoved from said cavity e. said shield further comprising a sidewallhaving a substantially U-shaped cross-section; said end surface beingintegrally joined to one end of said sidewall;

an elastic band having its free ends joined to said sidewalls so as tobridge the opening in said sidewall;

said band encircling said instrument and said projection at the rearwardend thereof to normally urge said sidewall to abut against the back endof said instrument whereby the curved configuration maintains saidsidewall a spaced distance from the back end opening to permit escape offluids even when said shield is moved over said back end.

2. The endoscopic instrument of claim 1, wherein said instrument is acystoscope.

3. The endoscopic instrument of claim 1, wherein said instrument is apanendoscope.

4. The endoscopic instrument of claim I, wherein said instrument is aresectoscope.

1. An endoscopic instrument comprising an elongated member, saidelongated member having: a. a front end adapted for insertion into thebladder through the urethra, b. a back end having at least oneprojecting portion extending transverse to the length of the instrument,c. a cavity running substantially the entire length of said elongatedmember from an opening at said front end to an opening at said back end,the opening at said back end being adapted to receive a viewinginstrument, and d. a shield having an end surface, said shield beingpivotally mounted at said back end of said elongated member such thatsaid shield is in a non-interfering position when said viewinginstrument is in said cavity, and wherein said shield pivots to aposition such that said deflecting surface is protectively disposedbehind said opening at said back end when said viewing instrument isremoved from said cavity e. said shield further comprising a sidewallhaving a substantially U-shaped cross-section; said end surface beingintegrally joined to one end of said sidewall; an elastic band havingits free ends joined to said sidewalls so as to bridge the opening insaid sidewall; said band encircling said instrument and said projectionat the rearward end thereof to normally urge said sidewall to abutagainst the back end of said instrument whereby the curved configurationmaintains said sidewall a spaced distance from the back end opening topermit escape of fluids even when said shield is moved over said backend.
 2. The endoscopic instrument of claim 1, wherein said instrument isa cystoscope.
 3. The endoscopic instrument of claim 1, wherein saidinstrument is a panendoscope.
 4. The endoscopic instrument of claim 1,wherein said instrument is a resectoscope.